Once In A Lifetime
by Mr. Chaos
Summary: After the events of 'The Parts in the Sum of the Whole', Temperance said she could never be with Booth...could never let herself make a life with him as he wanted. No picket fences, no 2.5 kids.  A swap of lives is about to show her how wrong she was.
1. Chapter 1

It had been the hardest thing to do. Harder than anything else she had ever had to decide upon. She had never understood the phrase 'to tear one's heart out', as doing such a thing would kill you within moments and the pain would more come from ripping your chest open than actually pulling your heart out…

But now she understood, as she remembered Booth heartbroken face.

She couldn't do it. It wasn't in her to give her heart up like that. It just wasn't. She could offer companionship, she could offer a shoulder to cry on or an ear to bend (more turns of phrases she didn't truly understand, but she was too tired to scold herself for using them).

But love? To give herself up to the control of another being? To allow herself to truly be swayed by another? No…no, that wasn't possible.

She could handle friends. Friends could disagree. Friends could strike their own path when they felt like it. Friends was easy.

Anything else…no.

Oh, there was no denying that she had dreamed about Booth, and that even now her traitorous body wanted him molded against hers. But her brain understood that Booth could not handle that, his archaic need to fit to society's rules and laws would never allow him to simply enjoy the pleasures one could find in another.

And thus, she had broken his heart.

And found that the phrase wasn't as foolish as she had once believed. For she had seen it in his eyes, the moment she had clutched that organ and squeezed.

It haunted it.

But as Temperance Brennan laid down, to allow the refreshing power of sleep come over her, she knew what she had done was right. Better to do it now, then to string him along. Booth simply couldn't understand…Temperance Brennan could never give him what he wanted.

Ever.

* * *

Temperance heard several things at once as she slowly pulled herself from the grip of Morpheus. Somewhere water was running…a shower perhaps. Birds were chirping, which was strange, considering she knew she had shut her window the night before. What was also strange was the dull roar of a jet engine (or more likely a lawn mower) that seemed determined to rip herself from her thoughtless slumber. She fought such intrusions will all her power, wanting to remain in bed and not face the day. For, in this half-sleep-filled state, she realized the dawning horror that she would have to face Booth's sad eyes today, and that was enough to make her a coward.

As she was coming to the conclusion that perhaps it would be best to call in sick (and hat gave her a dark smile, thinking of how Cam would freak out at that action), another sound filled the air: A high pitched whine, with a slight echo.

Hand fumbling around, Temperance found the object that was producing the horrid noise, only to blink, rubbing the gunk from her eyes, as she realized what she was holding.

A baby monitor.

"Huh?"

"Mama!" Temperance was at once attacked, a little body leaping onto the bed and tackling her. Reacting on instinct, she went to throw the attacker off, only to find her body didn't operate right, and all she managed to do was send the attacker plopping to the bed with an 'oompf!'.

"Again mama, again!" A little girl squealed, tugging at her hand. Temperance stared numbly at the little child with chestnut hair and her own nose stare back at her. The child bounced up and down in her 'Princess Peach' pjs, trying to wiggle her way into her arms.

The baby monitor let out another squeal.

"Uh oh, Max is hungry!"

"Max?" Temperance managed to choke out.

The little girl giggled, obviously believing this to be a game. "Come on mama, let's feed Max!" With strength Temperance didn't know a child of 4 could possess, the little girl managed to yank Temperance from bed, her bare feet padding down an unfamiliar hallway, past rooms she had never seen before, into a nursery she knew for sure her apartment didn't have.

The little girl grinned and she jumped onto a chair, staring down at the crib where Max, a 5 month old baby with wispy hair was screaming his lungs out. Seeing that Temperance was standing stock-still, the little girl (Temperance had to learn her name), tapped her foot.

"Well?" She asked, her hands on her hips and giving Temperance her best impression of Angela.

"Uh…" Temperance mind raced, seeking an answer. "Ok…we are going to play a game. We are going to pretend we've never met…that I am a friend of you're…" The next word nearly caused her to choke, "…mother. And I've dealt with babies. So…it will be up to you to help, ok?"

The little girl nodded, delighted at the idea of a game and being able to feed her brother. "Ok." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Christine Brennan-Booth, and this is…mama, where are you going?"

Temperance bolted the moment the word 'Booth' came from the girl's mouth, terror driving her back to the safety of her bed. Maybe, just maybe, if she hide under the covers and closed her eyes and kept repeating 'This isn't real, this isn't real', the child with her mother's name and Booth's eyes would go back to whatever sleep-addled part of her brain she had been drug from and she could get back to a world that made sense.

Needing to steady her nerves, Temperance made for the bathroom, only to find it was a large closet, suits hanging next to her normal blouses and slacks. Hands trembling, she made her way towards the other door, the sound of a radio and running water issuing behind it.

Ripping the door practically off its hinges, Temperance rushed inside, looking around for a sink to splash water on her face. But instead her line of sight was drawn to the nude form half hidden by the shower curtain.

"Bones?" Booth asked, pulled the curtain back, giving her a saucy smile. "Well well well…someone up for some warm and wet fun?"

"Mama, this game isn't fun anymore, Max is sad and needs his baba!"

Booth stepped out of the shower, letting Temperance see EVERYTHING

"Bones?"

Temperance looked him up and down, the dumbest face she'd have made crossing her face as she raised her hand and saw the wedding ring she wore.

"This is Kevin Allen, and welcome to America's Top 40 Countdown!" The radio blared.

BANG!

Temperance fainted.

* * *

Temperance Brennan slowly opened her eyes, startled to find things were…wrong.

She wasn't in her bedroom.

None of the things that surrounded her were hers.

She strained her ears, hoping to hear the usual sounds that created the day. But there were none there…none at all.

Getting up, she stared at the tank top and thin cotton pants she was wearing, nothing like what she had gone to bed wearing. She stumbled towards her bathroom, only to find it a closet, filled with just her blouses and skirts. Dimly, she realized the bathroom was to her right, and heading in, stared at single toothbrush that greeted her.

Splashing water on her face, she inspected herself carefully. Her hair was longer, like how she had worn it 5 years ago. There were bags under her eyes, making her look older than she knew she was. And she was…thinner. Not that she was fat or anything, but the curves she was so use to were gone. Curves that had been an added gift when…

When…

Temperance eyes went wide.

There was another sound missing.

"No."

Rushing out of the bathroom, she skidded down the hall, horrified to find that where doors should have been, there were none, the walls bare where pictures once hung. She came to a dead stop, where, she knew logically, two doors should be, right across from each other.

Wall was all that greeted her.

Temperance began to claw at the drywall, screaming in horror as she denied what she was seeing.

"Sweetie?"

Temperance's tearstained face turned to where she had heard the voice. "An…Angela?" She managed to choke out.

Angela came around the corner, grinning with two cups off coffee. Said cups fell to the ground as she stared at her friend, fingers bleeding from the gashes she had made in the drywall.

"Brennan!" She cried out, rushing over and cupping her hands. "What is it…what's wrong?"

"My babies…where are my babies?" Temperance whimpered, staring at the walls.

"Sweetie, what babies?"

Temperance stared at her for a moment, before the scream bubbled up from her throat. "MY BABIES! CHRISTINE AND MAX!" She slammed her fists into the wall, as if trying to rip down the drywall and reveal the two rooms she knew were there. "Where are they!"

Angela's eyes went wide, her own hands trembling. "Ok…listen to me…take a breath…" Temperance continued to shake. Never had Angela seen Temperance this wound up. Her mind gripped only one idea, that a night terror must have gripped her friend and she was still fighting off the affects. Hodgins suffered from them once and a while, remembering his time buried alive. "Sweetie…who am I?"

"Angela Montenegro."

"And what year is it?"

"2010." Temperance said, her voice slowly growing calmer.

"And what is your name?" Angela said, pleased she was bringing her friend out of the delirium.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan-Booth." She looked around where she sat, not noticing the terror-stricken face of her friend. "Ang…why are we in my old apartment?"

* * *

Author's Note: didn't see that coming did you? Yes, our Temperance has swapped places with a much different Brennan…and things are about to get interesting for both.

The title, of course, comes from the Talking Heads Song "Once In a Lifetime", and the idea for this story is inspired by two things: the first being the Nic Cage film "The Family Man", and the second a Lois and Clark fic called "Swap Meet", where Lois and Clark swap with Terri Hatcher and Dean Cain.

And yes, I am still working with Sarah on "The Scientist in the Manga". This is just a treat, as I finished 3 chapters of my novel, so I am a tad ahead.


	2. Chapter 2

(Universe One)

"Angela, where are we going?"

Angela didn't bother look behind her as she dragged her 'friend' through the streets of Washington DC . They made quite a pair, the two of them: One a dark haired artist with coffee stained slacks, the other a befuddled anthropologist, who kept looking around and muttering about things being wrong, her children ('Baby Brennan-Booths!' Angela's mind squealed), and her apartment. Of course, the most stares they were getting was because Tempe was dressed in her pjs, a pair of slip on shoes and a quickly grabbed coat.

"Amazing…my subconscious has certainly done an amazing job." She muttered. "And you say Barrack Obama is President? Did he beat President Hanks by much? Politics isn't my passion, but it seems…"

"Hanks?" Angela questioned.

"Yes…Thomas Hanks."

"…Tom Hanks, the actor."

"That is correct. Booth finds it amusing that the man we both technically call boss voices our daughter's favorite toy cowboy…ow! Angela, you are pulling too hard!"

"No, I seriously am not!" Angela said, finding that it was time for her to nearly begin hyperventilating. Angela had seen crazy things…she had seen ghostly images direct her a dying friend, skeletons ooze strange liquid that turned them to glass, and cannibalistic serial killers. So…the idea that her best friend was now someone else, another Temperance Brennan that had married Booth and produced two little Squints…that was possible…right?

"Are we sure I'm not dreaming this?" Angela muttered.

"I am pretty sure if anyone is dreaming this, it is me," Tempe stated. "However, I suppose for you, a dream me might say that…this is why I prefer skeletons. They give your hard answers, not any of that soft stuff your husband is always spouting off."

"…husband?" Angela squeaked.

Tempe frowned. "Yes, Lance. Don't tell me in this dream world that I have not allowed you two to begin dating? I can see part of my subconscious' reasoning, as I feel that his profession is a waste of his mind, but considering how happy he makes you-"

"…must go faster, must go faster, must go faster…"

* * *

(Alt Dimension)

Bones kept her eyes closed.

All around her, she could hear the sounds of the household getting ready for the day. The gurgling of a coffee pot, the cling of a spoon against a bowl, the happy chatter of her…her…daughter…the coos of her…son…in his playpen, Booth padding about the kitchen fixing breakfast.

At some point, Booth had moved her down to the living room, letting her come back to the world of the living on her own, as he had found himself with two scared children to deal with. But a couple of jokes and his own hiding of his fears had done enough to convince the two to calm down and ignore mommy's fainting spell.

'Mommy'

Now there was a word to induce fits of fear. Temperance Brennan wasn't a 'mommy'. Oh, she had taken care of Andy, but that was different. That was being a foster parent. That was cuddling a bundle of fluff and happily turning him over to his new parents when the time arrived.

This...this was not right.

She had toyed with the idea of having a child, but after Booth's tumor...that idea had disappeared. The mere sight of him, such a powerful force, reduced to such a fragile state, had taught her the futility of human life. What kind of monster would force a child into that existence?

And yet, in this world...she had.

She wasn't for sure this was a dream, not yet. It was to livid, too full of detail. She would search for sounds and find them at times, then not find them. She had comprehension, but no control. She had tried to will herself to Hawaii or the Jeffersonian...no dice.

So chances are this wasn't a dream.

And that led her to the scarier thought.

There were only four explanations,if this weren't a dream: This wasn't real, and she had gone crazy; this wasn't real...it was a massive joke; this WAS real and she had somehow broken through from her dimension to another (she'd read a physics article in Time that spoken of such things, and the logic seemed sound); this was real and she had simply forgotten.

The first answer she could not believe. And even if she did, it would be too big of a risk. If this was real, and she began to proclaim it false, then she would be thrown into a sanitarium. There was nothing to suggest though that if this were a delusion that it was a bad thing, so that option would be put on hold.

She could not see this being a joke. Booth would never be that cruel to here, and even if he could, there were too many touches…too many little things of her own in just this living room that Booth had no clue about…

No, not a joke.

The dimensional sliding. Physics wasn't Temperance's thing, but she knew Hodgins had raved about the idea that in another world he was really Superman…could it be possible that, by some flare of solar rays or the collision of two atoms, she had ended up in this place? And if that were so, was there a way back?

The final option, that she place was real and she had simply forgotten…it sounded like it wasn't possible. Something Booth would have thought of her, not her.

Booth.

He had dreamed of a world where they were married, owned a club.

He had thought it real.

Could it be that…that there was a dream, just not this world. Could the life she thought she had lived be the dream, and this was her reality?

Whatever the case may be, all the situations pointed to one course of action: The accept this world and learn more of it. She would treat it as an anthropological study, this little family a tribe she was studying, to learn their ways. Of course, in this tribe, she was considered the be the alpha female…

"Booth," She called out quietly, slowly rising to find three sets of eyes on her, though the littlest set was more eyeing her as if she were breakfast.

"Hey…gave us quite a scare," Booth said, trying to be good natured about this.

"Then prepare for another," Bones said bruntly. "I…I think I lost my memory."

* * *

Tempe frowned as she looked at the person Angela had presented her with. "We are getting help from Cyndi Lauper?"

Avalon Harmonia merely smiled. "I've been called worse things."

Angela bayed Tempe to sit down. "No, Sweetie. Avalon is a psychic…a very good one."

"Unlikely. It is more plausible she simply uses generalized statements to gather information and present it in a way that appears magical."

Angela chuckles. "Ok, so we know for a fact you are a Brennan."

Avalon frowned. "This is not Temperance Brennan."

Tempe waved her hand, smirking. "See, she used your comment about me being a Brennan to make the wager that though I look like Temperance Brennan, I am not her."

"I didn't say that," Avalon stated, eyes half closed. "You are Temperance…but not our Temperance. I see roads, paths through a forest, stretching out in all directions." Her hands began to wave about. "I…I see Special Agent Temperance Brennan, working with anthropologist Dr. Seeley Booth." Her head ticked to one side. "Another trial…darkness…blood…Booth and Brennan, the new Bonnie and Clyde…" Avalon went ramrod still. "One life a President, another a pauper…wait…wait…" Her eyes snapped open. "Your son Max is a beautiful child."

Tempe slammed her hands against the table, standing up, tears in her eyes. "How do you know that name?"

Avalon smiled. "I see your home…it is beautiful. A daughter much like you…you fear she will face the same pain you did. And a son, a child you long to hold again."

"…yes…" Tempe whispered.

Angela shook her head in amazement. "So…this is Temperance Brennan…just from…another world?"

"Only in soul." Avalon gave Tempe a sly smile, staring at her chest, causing Tempe to blush. "The body is that of your Temperance Brennan."

"Then where is the other Temperance, the one I'm stuck in?" Tempe asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

Avalon focused for only a few moments. "With your body. You live each others lives."

Tempe let out a sigh of relief. "Ok…ok." She looked up at Angela. "So your Temperance is watching my kids…good." Angela didn't say a word. "Ang…that is good right? I mean…she's me…she can manage a baby and a toddler, right?"

"Uh…sure," Angela mumbled.


End file.
